Sound-reproducing instrument



March 3, 1931. B] KWARTIN 1,795,089

SOUND REPRODUCING INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. 13, 192'. 3 Sheets-Sheet l 4-6 cll aw 5 r4 I l3 1 46 2 32. 5e 72 I6 21 55 2s z j zz M a 'h 55" 5oBERNARD KWARTIN "March 3, 1931. KWARTlN SOUND REPRODUCING INSTRUMENT192'. 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug.

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SOUND REPRODUC ING INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. 13, 192'. 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.11 rulenzbn BE NARD KWARTIN I .fliiorneg Patented Mar. 3, 1931 BERNARDKWARTIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA SOUND-REPRODUGING HVSTRUMENTApplication filed August 13, 1927.

This invention relates to sound reproducing instruments, such as talkingmachines, and more particularly to regulator mechanisms operativelyassociated therewith for permitting the rendition of compositions of.lgfeater length than has been heretofore possi- As has been pointed outin m copending application, Serial N 0. 193,871, led May 24,

1927, to which attention is particularly .directed, it is well knownthat in talking machines of the present known type it is practicallyimpossible to record or reproduce musical compositions of anyconsiderable length due to the fact that records of sufiicient sizecannot be conveniently made and also to the fact that the talkingmachines themselves are not designed to accommodate records, thediameters of which are excessive. As a result, it has been the commonpractice to either abridge or otherwise condense the longer mu sicalcompositions, which has always been unsatisfactory to the appreciativelovers of good music, or else to provide a multiple arrangement ofrecords to permit the records to be reproduced in succession, thislatter expedient being subject to numerous mechanical and otherdisadvantages.

In the usual type of modern record, the sound grooves are in the form ofaflat spiral decreasing in diameter gradually from the outer peripherythereof to the center, and ina'smuch as the speed of the record isconstant, the relative speed between the reproducing needle and thegrooves of the record in which it travels will be greater near theperiphery of the record than at the center, this relative speed beinggraduallydecreased as the needle travels toward the center. Obviouslythis means that in the vicinity of the center of the record the soundwave impressions which are capable of being convertedinto sound wavesare greater in number for each unit of length, this number for the sameunit of length being gradually decreased as the record grooves increasein diameter. This increasing reduction in the number of sound waveimpressions per unit of length as the grooves become greater in diameteris responsible for the present practice of providing records which areSerial No. 212,646.

only capable of reproducing compositions the time for reproduction ofwhich is relatively short.

In order to obviate the aforementioned ob- ]ections and difficulties inthe Way of rendering compositions of greater length than usual there hasbeen shown and described in my prior application above referred to arecord disk having on its playing surface the usual sound impressiongrooves which decrease gradually in diameter from the outer edge of therecord to the center thereof but which differ from the usual grooves inthat the number of sound wave impressions remain constant for each unitof length of the grooves regardless of their individual diameters.

In my prior application I have also shown and described the provision ofa regulating mechanism operatively associated with the motor mechanismfor imparting a varying speed of rotation to a record having a constantnumber of sound wave impressions per unit of length whereby a record ofgiven diameter may be enabled to render compositions of con siderablygreater length than has been possible heretofore, the record beinggradually increased in speed as the reproducing needle approaches thecenter thereof.

The provision of the improvements in talking machines as shown anddescribed in my above referred to copending application not only makespossible therendition ofacomposition of greater length, but it alsomakes possiv ble the more perfect reproduction of ensemble playing, thatis, the reproduction of two or more instruments simultaneously throughindividual reproducing needles operating upon the same record. With theordinary record now in use this has not been practicable due to the factthat the use of two or more needles operating upon such a record wouldobviously result in reducing the playing period of the composition to berendered. It will accordingly be seen that it is among the objects ofthe present invention to provide an arrangement whereby records of thetype disclosed in my above mentioned copending application may beutilized most effectively in the reproduction of orchestral, band, orother ensemble instrumental or vocal music in a better, clearer, andmore perfect manner than is now possible.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means whereby aplurality of reproducing units may be used either independently of eachother orcoj ointly in connection with a single reproducing record, theplaying grooves of which are characterized by the fact that the numberof sound wave impressions per unit of length is constant irrespective ofthe individual diameters of said grooves. This object is of paramountim-- portanee where it is desired to attain more perfect reproduction ofensemble nmsic inasmuch as each individual reproducing unit can beprovided with the particular type of diaphragm which is best suitablefor reproducing a sound of particular character. For instance, forsounds of high pitch a diaphragm of smaller diameter and less thicknesswill be found to be more desirable than one of larger diameter andgreater thickness, the latter being more suitable for a sound of lowerpitch. 'A single diaphragm designed to reproduce all sounds, whetherthey be of high or low pitch, is accordingly never satisfactory inasmuchas the best that can be done in such a case is to proportion thediaphragm to sounds of average pitch. Not only does this use of a-singlediaphragm for reproducing a number of sounds of varying pitches resultin sounds, none of which are true in quality, but the fullness orquantity of sound volume is also seriously interfered with, especiallywhere it is desired to reproduce a greater nun ber of instruments orvoices of varying pitches. The present invention obviates all of theseobjectionable features by providing an arrangement of mechanisms whichare operable to insure the maintenance at all times of the individualityof each instrument or voice brought together in an ensemble rendition.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of apitch adjusting and regulating mechanism'which is operatively associatedwith the speed control mechanism shown and described in my abovementioned copending application, this pitch adjusting and regulatingmechanism being so arranged as to provide that pitch or tone qualitywhich is best suited for any particular record. It is, of course, withinthe contemplation of this invention and the invention disclosed in myprior application to provide records of different diameters, all ofwhich records, however, are characterized in that each is provided Witha constant number of sound wave impressions per unit of length of its.playing grooves, and further in that the speed of rotation of eachrecord is so controlled that exactly the same interval of time isrequired for the needle to travel over any given length of a grooveregardless of its respective location on the record. By imparting agreater or less initial speed of rotation to any particular record, itspitch or tone quality will be correspondingly raised or lowered due tothe fact that the relative speed between the reproducing needle and thesound wave impressions will have been initially changed, but having oncemade the necessary pitch adjustment the relative speed between needleand sound wave impressions, and accordingly the pitch, will remain thesame throughout the rendition of .is desired to employ a record of theusual type, that is, a record which is operated at constant speed and inwhich the number of sound wave lll'llH'GSSlOllS per unit of length isnot constant.

Due to the factthat the invention disclosed in my earlier applicationabove referred to makes possible the rendition of compositions ofconsiderably greater length than has been heretofore possible withoutsacrificing any of the quality and the fullness of tone, the playingofensemble music may be greatly facilitated by providing a recordwhereon have been individually recorded the tones or notes fromdifferent musical instruments or different voices. \Viththe ordinaryrecord this has never been found to be practicable for the reason thatits period of reproduction, which is short to begin with, is shortenedeven more depending upon the number of different instrume ts or voiceswhich have been individually ife'cordcd thereon, it being understood, ofcourse, that these instruments or voices must be reproduced insynchronism by means of several reproducing needles traversingsimultaneously the sound wave impressions formed in the record by thedifferent instruments or voices. Accordingly, in order to improve therendi tion of ensemble selections and at the same time to make possibletheir reproduction Without abridging or otherwise condensing them itbecomes a still further object of this invention to provide a singlerecord upon which has been individually recorded two or more instruments.or voices of different; pitches together with means for effecting theirfaithful reproduction synchronously or 1n the particular ordernecessitated by the selection being rendered.

Where it is intended to reproduce a single instrument or voice or acombination of instruments or voices having approximately the same pitchor tone quality, it may be necstruments or voices of different pitch.

essary to employ only a single reproducing needle. However, where theinstruments or voices are of distinctly different pitch, it will befound desirable, for the reasonsalre'ady stated, to cause them to beindividually recorded upon a single record, and it will ac cordinglybecome necessary to employ a separate reproducing needle for each ofsaid inf- I for instance, only two needles are found necessary tosatisfactorily reproduce an ensemble selection, such as a duet, it willbe obvious thatthe effective playing surface of thereoord for eachneedle, that is, the total length of each of the two different soundwave impression grooves, will be approximately onehalf the playingsurface of a record necessitating the use of only one needle. Similarly,where four needles are employed, one for each of fourdiiferent soundwave impression grooves, the effective playing surface of the record asa whole will be reduced to one-quarter of that of a record using only()bviously, this reduction a, single needle. in total playing surface ofthe record, this reduction being dependent upon the number of individualsound wave impression grooves providedin each record, necessitates acorresponding change to be made in the playing time of the record. It isaccordingly a further object of this invention to provide a speedchanging mechanism which is operatively associated with the speedregulating mechanism described in detail in my earlier application, thisspeed changing mechanism being operable to cause said speed regulatingmechanism to permit the record, when two reproducing needles are to besimultaneously employed, to be gradually increased in speed at a ratewhich is approximately twice that of the normal rate of increase, and ata rate 1w hich is approximately four times the nor- (mal rate when fourreproducing needles are 5 employed upon the same record. I

A-still further object of the invention is the provision of a mechanismwhich is operable not only to increase the rate ofincrease of rotationof the record as the number of reproducing needles employed isincreased, but which is also operable to disconnect the motor mechanismfrom the speed regulating mechanism whereby to throw the latter out ofoperation in order to permit the use of the usualrecord in which thenumber of sound wave impressions per unit of length is not constant andthe speed of rotation of which is not intended to be varied.

Other objects, and object relating to details of construction, economyand efliciency of operation, will appear more fully hereinafter.

a The invention consistssubstantially in the construction, combination,arrangement and relative location of parts, all as will be explainedmore fully hereinafter, as illustrated in the drawings showing apreferred form of the invention, and finally pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings, which show for purposes of illustration a preferredembodiment of the principles of this invention:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus showing the relativearrangement of the speed regulator mechanism, the pitch regulating andadjusting mechanism, and the speed changing mechanism for varying therate of change in speed or acceleration of the record;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross section view taken on the line 2-2 ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross section view through the lower guidemember as taken on the line 33 of Figure 2; v

Figure 4 is a vertical cross section view taken on the line 4-4 ofFigure 1 showing the speed changing mechanism for varying the rate ofchange in speed or acceleration of the record;

Figure 5 is a vertical cross section view showing the pitch regulatingand adjusting mechanism;

Figure 6 is a view showing the gearing relation between the motormechanism and the regulator mechanism when only one reproducing needleis employed, the rate of change in speed of the record being then ofsmallest amount;

Figures 7 and 8 are views similar to Figure 6 but showing the gearingrelations between motor and regulator mechanisms which are necessary inorder to obtain higher rates of change'in speed of the record, as whentwo or four reproducing needles are used simultaneously upon the samerecord;

Figure 9 is a' view showing the regulator mechanism entirelydisconnected from the motor mechanismwhereby to permit the use of anordinary record; a I

Figure 10 is an enlarged view of the speed regulating mechanism, fheinitial position of the main lever being shown by the full lines and themore advanced the dotted lines;

Figure 11 is a top plan v1ew of an appapositions thereof by valsoembodying the principles of this invention, the figure showingparticularly an arratus embodying the principles of this in- D rangementfor simultaneously reproducing the sounds from several differentinstruments or voices, certain of which sounds have been individuallyrecorded'upon one record and the remainder of which have beenindividually recorded upon a second record; and

Figures 13 and 14 show, respectively, enlarged front and side views of amultiple reproducing unit such as is shown in Figures 11 and 12.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, itwill be seen that the invention is primarily based upon the use of arecord of the disk type and in which the sound wave impressions per unitof length are constant in number, exactly as in my prior application,Serial No. 193,871. In View of the fact that a record of this articulartype has been shown and descri ed in detail in said prior application, afurther description of such record is deemed unnecessary and superfluousat this time and will accordingly not be attempted, it bein merelysufiicient to point out that with $110 a record characterized by theuniformity of sound wave impressions er unit of length over its entireplaying sur ace it becomes possible to 'render compositions ofconsiderably greater length then has been possible heretofore.

In order to most effectively utilize such a record having a constantnumber of sound wave impressions per unit of length, it is necessary tovary the speed of rotation of the record as the reproducing needletravels toward the center thereof so that exactly the same interval oftime will be required for the needle to pass over any given length of aplaying groove regardless of its distance from the center of the record.A mechanism a for so regulating this speed of rotation has beendescribed'in said prior application and will be briefly referred toherein in order to render the present invention more readily understood.As in the former instance, it will be seen that there has been providedthe usual reproducing apparatus or talking machine 10 above theuppersurface of which is rotatably mounted the turn-table 11 for supportingthe record to be played. This turntable 11 is actuated by the usualoperating motor 12 suitably geared or otherwise connected to theturn-table shaft 13. This operating mot-or 12 is mounted in the usualman-. ner in compartment 14 provided below the turn-table 11. Disposedto one side of and arranged to be suitably geared to the motor 12 ortot'he turn-table shaft 13 in the manner to be explained more fullyhereinafter is a screw 15,;this screw being rotatably supported in suchmanner that upon rotation of the turn-table shaft it will in turn berotated through the said gearing to be presently described. In thisparticular instance it has site directions from this pivotal point ofsuspension. It will be observed that in the particular arrangementherein illustrated, the lever.16 oscillates in a substantiallyhorizontal plane and is provided with a laterally extending finger 18arranged to constantly bear against the outer face of the speed governordisk 19. This latter disk 19 is longitudinally slidable with respect toand forms part of a centrifugal governor 20 which is suitably geared tothe shaft 13 of the turn-table 11. It will be apparent that as the lever16 travels .along the screw 15 in the manner and by means of themechanism described in detail in said copending application, thelaterally extending finger 18 willbear with less and less force upon thedisk 19 with the result that the speed of rotation of the turn-tablewill be permitted to increase gradually as the reproducing needleapproaches the center of the record. Suitable means are provided, as forinstance a spring such as has been described in my copending applicationaforesaid, for drawing the lever 16 into initial startingv position. 1 a

As has been already indicated, it is one of the objectsof the presentinvention to provide a mechanism which is operable to regulate andadjust the pitch or tone quality for any given record, this mechanismbeing operatively associated with the speed regulating mechanism whichhas been briefly referred to above.

A further object of the invention is to provide'a mechanism which makespossible the rendition of ensemble music, this mechanism being alsooperatively associated with said speed regulating mechanism and beingoperable to reduce the rate of increase in speed of rotation of therecord as the number of reproducing needles employed, is increased, thislatterme'chanism being also operable to disconnect the motor mechanismfrom the speed regulating mechanism whereby to throw the latter out ofoperation in order to permit the use of the ordinary record in which thenumber of sound wave impressions per unit of length is not constant andthe speed of rotation of which is not intended to be varied. A preferredarrangement of be seen that the turn-table shaft 13 is provided with abevelled gear 21, which is normally in mesh with a similar gear 22provided at the inner end of a horizontally ex tending shaft 23. Thisshaft 23 extends radially from the turn-table shaft 13 and is pro- Ivided at its outer extremity with a bevelled gear 24,this gear 24 beingin mesh with the bevelled gear 25 of the shaft 26 arranged for rotationabout a vertical axis. Secured to 'this vertical shaft 26 at a pointabove the bevelled gear 25 is a horizontally disposed gear 27.

' The screw 15 of the speed regulating mechanism differs somewhat fromthat shown and described in my prior application in that it is providedwith a bevelled gear 28 arranged for meshing. engagement with a bevelledgear 29 rotatable about a vertical axis. This last mentioned bevelledgear 29 is supported for rotation upon a vertical shaft 30, which shaftalso carries a gear 31 suitably keyed or otherwise secured thereto."This gear 31 under lies the bevelled gear 29 and is arranged forrotation in a horizontal plane above that of the gear 27. For purposesof this description, the gear 27 may be designated the driving gearwhile the gear 31 may be designated the driven gear. It will be apparentthat upon the provision of a suitable means for effecting entrainmentbetween the said driving gear 27and the said driven gear 31, a 2connection will be had between the turntable shaft 13 and the screw 15such as will permit the latter to be operated to control the speed ofrotation of the former by means of the mechanism describedand claimed inde- 30 tail in said prior application.

In this particular instance, the means for effecting entrainment betweenthese driving and driven gears comprises a multiple gear unit, indicatedgenerally by the reference 3 numeral 32, which unit is operable to varythe speed gear relation between said driving and driven members. Asappear most clearly in Figures 2 and 4, the screw 15 of the speedregulating mechanism is provided with a yoke 33 of substantiallyinverted U-shape, the arms of which embrace opposite sides of thebevelled gear 28, the lower ends of the yoke arms being provided withsuitable bearings within which the screwy15 is freely rotatable. Thisyoke is rigidly supported in position by means of an arm 33, preferablyformed integrally with the yoke, and is provided with an upwardlypresenting laterally oflset bearing point or support 34. Extendingupwardly from and in axial alignment with this bearing point is thecentral operating shaft 35 of the multiple gear unit 32. This shaft 35is provided at its lower end with a socket within which is received thelower bearing point 34, and the upper end thereof projects through anopening 36 provided in the top wall of the compartment 14. A collar 37secured to the shaft 35 at a point immediately beneath the top wall ofthe cabinet prevents the shaft-from being raised in an upward direction,it being understood that movement in the opposite direction is preventedby reason of the lower end of the ing support 34 of the yoke 33.

shaft 35 being positively seated over the bear- Extending laterally fromthe socketed lower end of the shaft 35 is'an arm 38, the outer end ofwhich is provided with a vertically extending interiorly threaded sleeveor collar 39. Preferably the arm 38 is formed integrally with the shaft35, but it may be rigidly secured thereto in any other suitable manner,and this arm 38 extends in a direction and is of a length such that thesleeve 39 at the free end thereof is vertically spaced above a pointlying approximately between the opposed peripheral edges of the drivinggear 27 and the driven gear 31. A vertically extending stem or rod 40 isthreadedly received within the sleeve 39, the upper portion of this stemor rod being extended upwardly through an arcuated slot 41 provided inthe top wall of the compartment 14 and the extreme upper end thereofbeing provided with a knob 42 for the purpose to be presently explained.

Extending laterally from the extreme upper end of the central shaft 35is a lever 43, this lever lying in substantially the same vertical planeas does the laterally extending arm 38. Secured to the under surface ofthis lever 43 at a point intermediate the ends thereof is a tubularmember or ferrule 44, the lat ter being in vertical alignment with thesleeve 39 within which the rod or stem 40 is threadedly received. Asappears most clearly in Figure'4, this ferrule 44 is provided with aflange 45 underlying the under surface of the top wall of thecompartment 14 so as to effectually preclude any tendency for the lever43 to be lifted vertically away from said top wall. The lever 43 isprovided with an ex tension 46 suitably provided with an operating knob47, this extension 46 being hinged to the main body of the lever 43, asat 48. A leaf spring 49, one end of which is secured to the main body ofthe lever and the other and free end of which is-in contact with thehinged extension, serves to normally maintain said hinged extension inthe position shown in Figure 4. The arcuated slot 41, which has beenreferred to above, is of a width suflicient to accommodate the ferrule44 and it will be seen'that when the lever 43 is shifted horizontally inone direction or another with the shaft 35 serving as the central axisof rotation, the stem or rod 40 will be correspondingly shifted to oneside or another, the extent of said shifting being limited by the lengthof the arcuated slot 41 in which the ferrule 44 is slidable.

The stem or rod 40 terminates at a point just above the bottom of thecompartment 14 and a lower guidefor the bottom end of said rod isprovided in the form of a hollow 125 member 50, the side walls of whichare curved to correspond with the side walls or edges of the arcuatedslot 41 in the top wall of the compartment 14. This bottom ide member 50is preferably secured to the ottom of the 130 taneous rotation about thestem or rod 40.

It will be observed that the. gears 53, 54 and 55 are of difierentdiameters, the smallest gear being arranged uppermost and the largestgear being arranged lowermost. By virtue of the fact that the stem orrod 40 is threaded into the sleeve 39 of the laterally extendingsupporting arm 38, it will be seen that the gears 53, 54 and 55 may beadjusted vertically as a unit merely by turning the knob 42 which isfixed to the upper end of the stem 40, these gears being further adaptedto be horizontally shifted by the simple expedient of shifting the lever43 to one side or the other as described above.

Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 show the several possible relations which may behadbetweenthe'driving gear 27 and the driven gear 31. Where the recordis ofthe type requiring only a single reproducing needle to faithfullyreproduce the selection which is to be rendered, as when only a singleinstrument or a voice or a number of instruments or voices of the sametone qualities have been recorded upon the same record, the gearingrelation between the driving gear 27 and the driven gear 31 is that suchas is shown in Figure 6. In this instance it will be seen that themultiple gear unit comprising the gears 53, 54 and 55 has been loweredby means of the adjusting knob 42 and has been properly shifted oroscillated into the necessary position for effecting entrainment betweenthe driving gear 27 and the driven gear 31 through the intervention ofthe smallest and largest gears of the multiple gear unit, the smallestgear 53 being brought into mesh with the driven gear 31 and the largestgear 55 into mesh with the driving gear 27. The result is that a speedgear ratio between the driving and driven gears is obtained whichproduces that rate of increase in-speed of rotation of the record whichis necessary where only the single reproducing needle is employed, thisrate being preferably considered as the normal rate of increase in speedof rotation.

In the case of a record requiring the simultaneous use of two needles,as in the case of two instruments or voices, or two sets of instrumentsor voices of distinctly difi'erent pitch characteristics, it becomesnecessary to double the acceleration or rate of increase in rotation ofthe record as the needles simultaneously approach the center thereof. In

this change in the gearing relation between the driving and drivengears,'the latter is driven at an increased speed and the rate of changein speed of the record as the needles travel toward the center thereofis accordingly doubled. This change in the gearingrelation to permit theuse of two reproducing needles is effected by lowering the stem or rod40 after the lever 43 has been shifted to one side sufliciently topermit the gear 54 to mesh with the driving gear 27.

In a similar manner when it is desired to play a record for which fourneedles are required, as when four instruments or voices or four sets ofinstruments or voices of different pitch characteristlcs have beenrecorded on a single record, it becomes necessary to still furtherincrease the acceleration or rate of increase in speed of the record,this being accomplished by shifting the lever still furtherto one sideand by vertically lowering the multiple gear unit until the smallestgear of said unit is brought into meshing engagement with both thedriving gear 27 and the driven gear 31, this gearing relation being mostclearly shown in Figure 8. The gears 31 and 27 being of the same size,it will be evident that the latter will be driven at the same speed asthe former with the result that the turn-table 11, and accordingly therecord which is carried thereon, will be accelerated, as the fourreproducing needles simultaneously approach the center of the record, ata rate which is four times that of the normal rate.

In order to insure the proper positionment of the multiple. gear unit 32with respect to the driving and driven gears 27 and 31 so that thedesired gear ratio may be had between the latter gears when 1, 2 or 4repro-. ducing needles are employed upon the same record, there isprovided to one side of the turn-table 11 a number of verticallyextending pins 56, 57 and 58. These pins are arranged upon an arc thecenter of which is the vertical axis of the central operating shaft 35of the multiple gear unit 32. Thehinged portion 46 of the operatinglever 43 for this multiple gear unit is in turn provided with anaperture or opening 59 within which one or the other of these pins 56,"57 and 58 may be received depending upon the particular position of themultiple gear unit. It will be understood that when the particulargearing relation shown in Figure 8 is desired to be had, as when fourreproducing needles are to be employed in connection with a singlerecord, the hinged section of the operating lever 43 is lifted and movedlaterally to a position such that the pin 56 may be received within theopening 59 in said hinged section of the lever. With the pin 56 soengaged in the opening 59 (the leaf spring 49 serving to prevent thehinged section from being inadvertently lifted off said pin) themultiple gear unit 32 will have been locked in position against lateralmovement.

When it becomes necessary to shift the multiple unit into the positionwhich is necessary when two reproducing needles are to be employed inconnection with the same rec- 0rd, the hinged section of the shiftinglever 43 is lifted off the pin 56 and is shifted to the right (lookingat Figure 1) and into engagement with the pin 57. With the pin 57 insuch engagement with the shifting lever 43,

' needle is employed, the lever 43 is shifted still farther to the rightand into engagement with i the pin 58. With the lever 43 engaging thepin 58, the relation between the driving and driven gears will be thatshown in Figure 6.

In order to secure the multiple gear unit 32 against verticaldisplacement during the time that said unit is in one or the other ofthe positions shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8, the ferrule 44 which iscarried bythe shifting lever 43, is provided with a set screw 60 whichis threaded into engagement with the vertically extending stem or rod 40upon which the multiple gear unit is rotatably supported. The portion ofthis stem or rod 40 which extends upwardly above the upper surface ofthe shifting lever 43, this portion being preferably smooth, may beprovided with suit-' able graduation marks or lines 61, the position ofeach of which with respect to an index 61 above said upper surface ofthe shifting lever 43 serves to indicate the vertical position of themultiple gear unit 32, thus facilitating the vertical adjustment of thelatter.

If desired, the pins 56, 57 and 58 may also be suitably marked tofacilitate the lateral adjustment of the multiple gear unit when 1, 2 or4 needles are to be employed upon a single record.

An additional pin 62, which is similar to the pins 56, 57 and 58, may beprovided for engagement with the opening 59 in the shifting lever 43,the engagement of this pin 62 with the lever 43 serving to lock themultiple gear unit in a laterally adjusted position which is sufficientto effect disengagement of the multiple gear unit 32 from the drivinggear 27. It will thus be seen that provision is bad for entirelydisengaging the driving gear 27 from the driven gear 31, the relativepositions of these driving gears and the intermediate multiple gear unitbeing most clearly shown in Figure 9. It thus becomes possible toentirely disconnect the motor mechanism of the apparatus from the speedregulating mechanism so as to render the latter inoperative whenever itbecomes desirable to use an ordinary record of the type wherein thenumber of sound wave impressions per unit of length is not constant andthe speed of rotation of which is not intended to be varied. In otherwords, when the lever 43 is shifted sufiiciently to one side to permitengagement therewith by the pin 62, the entire speed regulatingmechanism is thrown out of operation and the apparatus may be employedin the ordinary manner for reproducing records of the usual type.

The pitch regulating and adjusting mechanism which is operativelyassociated with the speed regulating mechanism will now be described.Referring particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 5, it will be seen that thispitch regulating and adjusting mechanism is supported in position bymeans of a bracket 63 secured to the under surface of the top wall ofthe compartment 14. This bracket 63 is provided with a horizontallyextending arm 64 at the outer end of which is supported for rotation avertically extending shaft 65. This shaft 65 extends upwardly through anopening 66 in said top wall and is provided at its upper extremity withan operating knob 67. The portion of the shaft 65 which extends belowthe arm 64 of the supporting bracket is provided with a bevelled gear 68arranged for meshing engagement with a similar gear 69 provided at theextreme outer end of the screw 15. Also supported in the arm 64 of thesupporting bracket for rotation about a vertical axis is a short shaft70, the lower end of which is provided with a relatively large gear 71arranged for meshing engagement with a relatively small gear 72 securedto the lower end of the shaft 65. Secured to the upper end of the shaft'70 is a relatively small gear 73, this latter gear being arranged formeshing engagement with a relatively large gear 74 coaxially arrangedbut rotatable with respect to a shaft 65. An index finger 75 overlyingthe top wall of the compartment 14 is secured to the gear 74 forrotation therewith about the axis of the shaft 65 as its-center ofrotation. If desired, a graduated pitch regulating scale 76 may besecured to the upper surface of said top wallimmediately beneath theplane of rotation of the index finger 75. It will be evident that uponrotation being imparted to the screw 15 through the train of gearingherein before described, the shaft 65, by reason ofthe meshed gears 68and 69, will be caused to rotate at a certain definite speed. The indexfinger 75, however, which is indirectly connected to the shaft 65through the train of reduction gearing comprising the gears 71, 72, 73and 74:, will be rotated at a much slower rate, the reduction in speedbeing such that the index finger will travel from one end of the scaleto the other during the time that it takes for the entire record to beplayed. For convenience, the graduated scale 7 6 is marked from zero to100 as is best shown in Figure 1. j

It is well known that in the reproduction of phonograph records, thepitch is dependent upon the relative speed with which the reproducingneedle passes over the sound wave impressions in the record grooves. Ifthis speed is increased, the pitch obtained will be higher than thatwhen the needle passes over these impressions at a slower rate, anditwill accordingly be evident that if the initial speed of rotation of arecord of the type with which this invention is particularly concernedis increased the pitch will be correspondingly raised, and conversely ifthis initial speed be decreased the pitch will be correspondinglylowered. This increase or decrease in initial speed of rotation of therecord is obtained by means of the pitch regulating and adjustingmechanism just described, it being understood of course that regardlessof the initial starting speed of the record the rate of increase inspeed ofrotation thereof, or in other words its acceleration, remainsthe same throughout the rendition of the entire composition, the degreeof this acceleration being determined by 'theparticular speed gearrelation between the driving and driven gears 27 and 31. It is'alsoto-be understood that this invention offers no particular restriction asto the diameter of any particular record, it being merely necessary thatthe threaded portion of the screw 15 over which" the speed regulatinglever 16 travels be of a length suflicient. to permit a record ofgreatest diameter to be reproduced.

v 110.11 it is desired to play one of the smaller records, say a teninch record, the. pitch regulating knob 67 is manipulated in such manneras'to bring the index finger 75 to approximately the point 20: of thescale 76. By so manipulating this pitch regulating knob 67, the screw15, through the meshed gears 68 and 69, will be rotated .sufliciently tocause the speed regulating lever 16 to assume the position shown inFigure 1. The laterally extending finger 18 of this lever will then beexerting a certain braking efi'ortupon the governor disk 19 so that theturn-table 11, and accordingly the record carried thereon, will becaused .to rotate at a predetermined initial sped. If one needle is allthat is necessary to reproduce the composition which is recorded .uponthis record, the multiple gear unit 32 is thrown into the position shownin Figure 6, and the record will continue to rotate at a graduallyincreasing speed of rotation until the single reproducing needleapproaches the centerof the record. It will be understood that ifahigher or lower pitch is desired, the pitch regulating knob 67 isrotated in one direction or another to vary the initial startingposition of the speed regulating lever 16 upon the screw 15. Preferablysixteen inch record, the pitch regulating knob I is manipulated insuchman-ner that the index finger 7 5 is approximately opposite the zero endof the scale, the speed regulating lever then assuming the positionshown by the full lines in Figure 10. -In this position of the lever 16with respect to the speed regulating screw 15, a greater travelinglength along the screw 15 will be afforded for said speed regulatinglever. As in the former instance, the pitch regulating knob 67 may be.manipulated slightly in one direction or the other to adjust this lever16 upon the screw 15 so that the proper initial starting speed will beobtainedin order to provide that par ticular pitch setting which isnecessary 1n order to insure the most satisfactory results from therecord to be rendered. In this instance, exactly as in the instancewhere a smaller size record is to be rendered, the acceleration or therate of increase in speed of rotation of the record remains the samethroughout the entire rendition of the composition and is dependentsolely upon the particular speed gear ratio which is bad by shifting themultiple gear unit 32 into one or another of the positions shown inFigures 6, 7 and 8.

The same pitch adjusting and regulating mechanism which has just beendescribed may be used with the same effect when a record of the usualtype and which is arranged to rotate at constant speed is employed.lVhen it is desired to use such a record, it is merely necessary toshift the shifting lever 43 to one side sufliciently to effectdisengagement between the driving and driven gears 27 and 31 (see Figure9) so that the speed regulating mechamsm as such is thrown out ofoperation. It then becomes only necessary to manipulate the pitchregulating and adjusting knob 67 in such manner as to bring the indexfinger to a point approximately opposite the number ninety of the indexscale,

.the result being that the speed regulating lever 16 is brought into theoutermost position shown in Fig. 10. The laterally extending finger 18of the lever in this position exerts a constant pressure upon thegovernor disk 19 and acts in all respects exactly like an ordinary pitchregulating device. Obviously, the braking effort which this fin er 18-exerts upon the governor disk 19 may e varied within limits merely byturning the pitch regulating and adjusting knob 67 in one direction oranother with the result that the desired constant speed of rotation fortherecord may be obtained.

As has been already indicated the provision of the mechanism forchanging the speed gear ratio between the driving gear 27 and the drivengear 31 is of. paramount importance in those cases where it is desiredto at-- tain more perfect reproduction of ensemble music, as whentwo ormore reproducing needles are used for reproducing synchronously thesounds from several instruments of different pitch characteristics. InFigure 11 there has been shown, more or less diagrammatically, a recordof the type with which thisinvention is particularly concerned, that is,a record having a constant number of sound wave impressions per unit oflength of the playing groove. This particular record 77 is provided withfour such grooves, designatcd a, b, c and d, each of which is distinctfrom the other and in each of which are the respective soundwaveimpressions produced by one of several instruments or sets ofinstruments of difierent pitches. For the sake of clearness, the groovesa and b have been shown, by heavier lines than those of the grooves 0and d. Obviously, in order to reproduce the ensemble music which hasbeen recorded upon the record 77, four reproduc ing units are required,one for each of the individual playing grooves a, b, 0 and (1, theseunits being designated by the reference numerals 78, 79, 80 and 81.

Preferably, these units 78, 79, 80 and 81 are paired as indicated inFigure 11, the units 78 and 79 comprising one set and the units 80 and81 comprising a second set. These sets are of the construction moreparticularly illustrated in Figures 13 and 14 wherein it will be seenthat each unit thereof comprises a sound box 82 including a diaphragm 83and a reproducing needle 84. The sound boxes of each are complemen'tallyshaped with respect to each and are arranged in overlapplng relationsuch that the distance between points of the reproducing needles doesnot exceed 2 to 3 mm. It is well known producing units 78, 79, 80 and 81may be of different sizes. In the particular arrange ment shown inFigure 11, the units 78 and 80 are of smaller size than the units 79 and81, the units 78 and 80 being adapted for instruments of relatively hightones and the units 79 and 81 being adapted for instruments ofrelatively low tones.

Connected to each sound box 82 of the several reproducing units isa'sound conducting tube 85, the tubes leading from each set of unitsbeing pivotallyconnected at their outer ends, as at 86, to a common duct87 which is in communication wit-h the sound amplifier box (not shown).In order to permit the needles of each set of reproducing units to movelaterally with respect to each other as they travel from the outerperiphery of the record toward the center thereof, the tubes 85 areformed of two sections hinged together as at 88; Should it becomenecessary or desirable to remove one or more of the reproducing unitsfrom operative position, it is merely necessary to swing the particularunits upwardly and away from the record, this be ing possible due to thepivotal connection which is had between the conducting tubes 85 andtheir common duct 87.

Figure 12 illustrates an arrangement for reproducing synchronously tworecords 89 and 90 upon each of which have been recorded the sounds fromfour sets of instruments of distinctly different tones, thus making itpossible to render an ensemble selection from eight instruments or setsof instruments of different tonal qualities.

Insofar as the number of reproducing units for each record is concerned,the arrangement is substantially similar to that shown in Figure 11. Itwill be understood, of course, that in the arrangements shown in Figures11 and 12 the gearing relation between the driving and driven gears 27and 31 is similar to that shown in Figure 8, this being due'to the factthat four needles are being simultaneously employed upon one record withthe consequence that it becomes necessary to increase the rate ofincrease in speed of rotation of the record as the needles approach thecenter'thereof. Any suitable means may be employed for insuringsynchronous operation of the two records, it being preferable, as ii theparticular arrangement shown, to employ a pair of vertically spacedturn-tables 11 both of which are rigidly mounted upon the turn-tableshaft 13.

While several different arrangements have been shown and describedhereinbefore, it will, of course, be understood that still otherarrangements may be devised from time to turn-table for supporting arecord to be played, a reproducing unit operatively associated with saidrecord, power means for imparting rotation to said turn-table, meansoperatively associated with said power means and operative independentlyof said rep-roducing unit for gradually increasing the speed of rotationof said turn-table, and means operative to change the rate of increasein speed of rotation of said turn-table.

2. In a talking machine, in combination, a turn-table for supporting arecord to be played, a reproducing unit operatively associated with saidrecord, power means-for rotatingsaid turn-table at substantially constant speed, a regulating mechanism operable solely by said power meansand independently of said reproducing unit to gradually vary the speedof rotation of said turn-table from a lesser speed to said constantspeed, and means operatively associated with said power means to changethe rate of increase in said speed of rotation.

3. In a talking machine, in combination, a turn-table for supporting arecord to be played, power means for rotating said turntable, a governorfor controlling the speed of rotation of said turn-table, a regulatingmechanism operatively associated with said governor and coactingtherewith to gradually vary the speed of rotation of said turn-table,and a variable driving connection interposed between said regulatingmechanism and said power means. i

4. In a talking machine, in combination, a turn-table for supporting arecord to be played, power means for rotating said turntable, aregulating mechanism operable upon said turn-table to gradually Vary thespeed of rotation thereof, and a multiple gear unit interposed betweensaid regulating mechanism'and said power means.

5. In a talking machine, in combination a turn-table for supporting arecord to be played, power means for imparting rotation to saidturn-table, a regulating mechanism;

' operable upon said turn-table to gradually vary the speed ofrotation'thereof, said mechanism including a rotatable screw and a leverarranged for actuation. by said screw, and means for changing the speedgear relation between said screw and said turn-table where- .by to varythe speed of rotation of said screw speed of operation of said screw andsaid power means and arranged to effect a change in the speed ofrotation of said screw.

7. In a talking machine, in combination, a mechanism including aregulating screw for regulating the speed of rotation of a record to beplayed, said mechanism being operable solely by the operation of saidscrew .toeffect travel along said screw and the other arm thereof beingoperable as a brake to control the speed of rotation'of said record, anda multiple gear unit interposed between said screw and said power means,said unit being arranged for vertical and lateral adjustment to effectentrainment between said screw and said power means through one or theother of thegears of said unit.

9. In a talking machine, in combination, power means for imparting adefinite speed of rotation-to said turn-table, a screw operativelyassociated with said power means for rotation thereby, a brake levernormally in threaded engagement with said screw for permitting the speedof rotation of said record to be gradually increased from a lesser speedto said definite speed as said lever travels upon said screw, a multiplegear unit including a pluraliply of concentrically arranged gears of dierent diameters interposed between said power means and said screw, oneof said gears being constantly entrained with said screw, and means forcausing any one of said gears to be entrained with said power meanswhereby to vary the speed gear ratio between said screw and said powermeans.

turn-table, a disk record supported upon said turn-table for rotationtherewith, said record beingeharacterized in that the playing surfacethereof is provided with a plurality of independent spiral grooves, areproducing needle arranged to travel in each of said playing grooves,power means for rotating said turn-table and record at a definite speed,a regulator mechanism operable by said power means to permit the speedof rotation of said record to be increased to said definite speed 10. Ina talking machine, in combination, a

as a maximum as said reproducing needles 7 simultaneously travel toward.the center thereof, and means for changing the rate of ncrease in saidspeed of rotation depending upon the number of said independent playinggrooves provided u on said record.

11. In a talking mac ine, in combination, a turn-table, a disk recordsupported upon said turn-table for rotation therewith, power means forrotating said turn-table and said record, a screw operatively associatedwith and arranged to be driven by said wer means at any one of a numberof di erent speeds, a pivotally supported lever arranged to travel alongsaid screw u n rotation of the latter, said lever operating as a braketo control the speed of rotation of said turntable, and means operativeto rotate said screw independently of said power means whereby toinitially position said lever at any desired point along said screw.

12. In a talking machine, in combination,

when a record is employed having a greater or lesser number of soundimpression tracks; In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed mysignature.

' BERNARDKWARTIN.

a turn-table for supporting a disk record I the sound wave impressionsof which are constant in number per unit of length of the playinggrooves, a reproducing needle arranged to travel in said laying groove,a regulator mechanism opera le independently of the movement of saidneedle to control the s eed of rotation of said record such that t esame interval of time is required for said reproducing needle to passover any given number of said sound wave impressions, and

means operatively associated with said regulator mechanism for varyingthe time re- I quired for the needle to pass over said given number ofsound wave impressions.

13. In a talking machine, in combination, a turn-table for su porting adisk record provided with soun mpression grooves in the form of a flatspiral wherein the number of sound wave im ressions are constant perunit of length of-t e grooves, power meansfor imparting rotation to saidturn-table, a speed regulating mechanism operable exclusively.

by said power means to permit the speed of rotation of said record to beincreased gradually from a predetermined initial starting speed, andmeans operable upon vsaid speed regulating mechanism for adjusting thesame to permit the rendition of a composition of greater or shorterlength. a

14. In a talking machine, in combination, a turn-table for suppgrting arecord to be played, said record ing provided with a definite number .ofseparate sound impres- "sion tracks on the playing surface thereofwherein the number of sound wave impressions are constant per unit oflength, a re roducing needle arranged to travel in eac of said tracks, aspeed regulating mechanism arrangedto permit the speed 0 rotation ofsaid turn-table to be gradually increased from a predetermined startinspeed as said reproducing needles trave simultaneously toward the centerof the record, and means op eratively associated with said speedregulating mechanism for changin the rate of in crease in speed ofrotation 0 said turn-table

